MLB Announces All-Star Rosters

2 years ago

Major League Baseball is revealing the rosters for the upcoming All-Star Game. The Baltimore Orioles feature three starters on the American League squad, led by designated hitter Nelson Cruz. Outfielder Adam Jones joins him along with catcher Matt Wieters, who won't play due to injury. New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter will start at shortstop in his final All-Star Game. Former teammate and Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano will also start. Two-time defending MVP Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers starts at first base while Josh Donaldson of the Oakland Athletics gets the nod at third base. The outfield in the AL is capped off by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and leading vote-getter Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The AL pitching staff is led by staff aces like the Texas Rangers' Yu Darvish, Tigers' Max Scherzer and Mariners' Felix Hernandez. Rookie Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees and Boston Red Sox hurler Jon Lester are also on the staff along with the Blue Jays' Mark Buehrle, Tampa Bay Rays' David Price and Oakland's Scott Kazmir. The relievers are Sean Doolittle of the A's, Greg Holland of the Kansas City Royals, Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins and the Yankees' Dellin Betances.

American League reserves are highlighted by Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu and last year's Home Run Derby champion Yoenis Cespedes of the A's. Cespedes is joined by Oakland teammates Derek Norris and Brandon Moss while Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, the Blue Jays' Edwin Encarnacion and Royals' Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez are also on the squad. The Tigers' Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley, Rangers' Adrian Beltre, White Sox's Alexei Ramirez and Twins' Kurt Suzuki are also All-Stars.

Two Milwaukee Brewers lead the way on the National League All-Star team. Aramis Ramirez gets the nod at third base while Carlos Gomez will start in the outfield. Also in the outfield will be Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig and reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies led the way among NL vote-getters and will start at shortstop while Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley also gets the nod. Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will make his first All-Star start while St. Louis Cardinals backstop Yadier Molina starts at catcher.

The NL pitching staff is powered by a pair of Dodgers in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto, San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner and the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright are also on the staff along with Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals and Tyson Ross of the San Diego Padres. Julio Teheran of the Atlanta Braves will also join the NL squad as a replacement for Jeff Samardzija], who was just recently traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland Athletics. Relievers for the NL are the Braves' Craig Kimbrel, Reds' Aroldis Chapman, Brewers' Francisco Rodriguez, Cardinals' Pat Neshek and Pirates' Tony Watson.